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Cirencester Town 1 – 2 Leamington
Match Report by Dave Pyzer
The final home match of the 2015/16 Season brought high flying Leamington to the Corinium Stadium but prior to the match there were a number of presentations to Steve Abbley, including the naming of the main stand in his honour, to recognise the huge contribution he has made to the football club during the last 20 years as Chairman of the Club.
Leamington have been in the mix for a play-off place for much of the season and before the game they were in 4th place in the Premier Division table and 9th in the ‘6-Match Form Guide’ table. Cirencester were ten places below them in the former and one place below them in the latter.
The Cirencester starting eleven was unchanged from the team that brought the 3 points back from Dunstable Town last week but they knew they were in for a tough afternoon as Leamington won the reverse fixture 2-0 in November and would undoubtedly be determined to keep their play-off place in the final few matches.
The visitors kicked off playing towards the Arena end of the ground on a firm pitch with a fairly strong breeze behind them and immediately attacked down their right flank but Cirencester managed to repel this initial threat but the visitors were soon back again.
With 5 minutes on the clock Josh Langley produced a superb close range reflex save after the tricky Sam Austin had reached the left corner to cross towards the penalty spot where Courtney Baker-Richardson was lurking to shoot at the home goal.
Cirencester countered with a move down their left flank as the ball reached Charlie Griffin who laid it back to Aidan Bennett, inside to James Mortimer-Jones, forward to Griffin, down the line to a breaking Ross Langworthy but he was crowded out in the corner by the experienced visitors defence.
A few minutes later Leamington won the ball on half way and sent it out to Lee Moore on the right wing and as he neared the corner he laid it back to Richard Taundry who sent a deep cross to the far post where Daniel Dubidat headed it back towards the penalty spot for JACK EDWARDS to finish with his right foot. 0-1.
Almost immediately from the re-start Cirencester won a corner kick on their left flank and when the ball was cleared it fell to Mortimer-Jones who drove it goal-wards but his effort was blocked.
As the quarter of an hour point was approaching a clearance from Leamington landed behind the advanced Cirencester back line resulting in a foot race between them and Baker-Richardson that the forward won but as Langley came out to close him down he lobbed the ‘keeper and the cross-bar – danger over.
Five minutes later Austin produced more clever footwork that took him past a couple of home defenders on Leamington’s left flank and when he crossed into the home box Dubidat touched it onto Baker-Richardson who stretched but couldn’t make the contact he would have liked and Langley was able to gather near his left post.
Back came Leamington to press on the front edge of the Cirencester penalty area and when the home defence cleared the ball it fell to Taundry who attempted an ambitious right footed volley that flew high and wide of the target from 30 yards, right channel.
Just after the mid-point of the half Ross Langworthy was injured and following a short delay, whilst he received treatment from Physio Lisa Vicat, it was decided he could not continue and he was replaced by Zack Kotwica.
Within minutes of entering the fray Kotwica made a charging run down the centre of the pitch and as he reached a position 30 yards from goal he played the ball towards the left channel of the Leamington penalty area for Ollie Knight to collect but his pass was too close to Tony Breeden in the visitors goal and he was able to get there first to collect.
Cirencester were beginning to show signs of getting into the game after the initial domination of Leamington and a well worked move from right to left and back - involving Adam Connolly who slipped it forward to Matt Liddiard, out to Bennett, forward to Liddiard, back to Bennett, inside to Mortimer-Jones, forward to Liddiard, right to Connolly, right to Kotwica - showed some promise but the well organised Leamington defence stood their ground and dealt with the threat.
The Leamington response was a break that resulted in a corner kick from their right flank and when Moore sent it to the back post Baker-Richardson collected but his path was blocked forcing him to turn away from goal towards the front corner edge of the home penalty area. Once there he turned and moved right along the front edge of the box and crossed towards the far post where Langley made the catch.
Five minutes from the interval Leamington were again pressing on the front edge of the home penalty area and the ball reached Edwards who fired a fierce right footed drive that Shayne Anson bravely blocked near the penalty spot.
Two minutes later Kotwica was running at pace down the right flank and as he pushed the ball past his marker he was fouled resulting a free kick that he quickly slipped to Anthony Brown as he overlapped towards the corner. The resulting cross was deflected for a corner kick that Knight sent to the front edge of the 6 yard box where Griffin rose to head but his effort went past the right post.
Just before the interval Kotwica crossed from the right for Knight to dart in to collect on the front edge of the Leamington penalty area and as he was put under pressure Knight managed to release the ball into the path of a supporting Connolly who shot on the run but his low effort was down the centre and Breeden was able to gather.
Half Time: 0 – 1
With the slope and wind now in their favour Cirencester attacked their visitors straight from the re-start and won a free kick on their left flank but Kotwica’s strike was too low and was easily cleared.
In the 50th minute Cirencester had the chance to level the score after Connolly had won the ball and moved it on to Knight who sent it from the left channel, just inside the home half, towards the right channel, where Kotwica collected at pace and charged forward. Ten yards from the front edge of the visitor’s penalty area Kotwica took on the shot but drove it into the legs of an advancing Breeden and the danger was cleared.
A few minutes later Bennett made a strong run down the left flank and fed Knight who slipped it to Kotwica as he darted into the left corner but his path was quickly blocked by the home defence resulting in a throw-in to Cirencester in the corner that was defended.
Cirencester then tried the other flank as Anthony Brown fed a rather advanced Mortimer-Jones who crossed towards the far post where Knight collected but couldn’t get a clear strike at the ball from left of the penalty spot and the ball was eventually cleared.
Back came Cirencester as Brown fed Mortimer-Jones again and he in turn slipped it forward to Kotwica as he darted across the front edge of the Leamington penalty area but the wide-man was quickly surrounded and the danger cleared.
As the mid-point of the half approached Cirencester continued to press – first on the left then the right - but Leamington’s well organised defence was standing firm.
Despite the pressure it was Leamington who scored when Moore cut inside from the right flank and played the ball down the right channel for COURTNEY BAKER-RICHARDSON to collect on the front edge of the home penalty area. In one move the striker, despite the close attention of a marker, received, turned and struck a sweet low right footed shot just inside the right post with Langley unsighted. 0-2.
Both sides made substitutions at this point with Alex Dinsmore (Cirencester) and Rob Elvins (Leamington) taking to the field in place of Adam Connolly and Lee Moore respectively.
Baker-Richardson was in the action again soon afterwards as he drove to the left by-line, just outside the side edge of the 6 yard box, and squared the ball back to Edwards but Mortimer-Jones had seen the run and blocked the resulting shot.
With seven minutes of normal time remaining Alex Dinsmore won the ball in the right corner and laid it back to Kotwica who exchanged passes with Mortimer-Jones before crossing to the far post where Griffin headed wide of the target.
A couple of minutes later Edwards broke into the left channel of the Cirencester penalty area but his progress was halted by a tackle from Mark Pritchett that led to a couple of corner kicks, first left then right flank, and from the second the ball was cleared to Dinsmore who fed Bennett, as he supported near half way, and he in turn played the ball to the right corner where it was lost.
As the home side pushed forward in search of a goal Liddiard sent a low cross from the right to the penalty spot for Dinsmore but the young striker was stretching and Breeden was able to gather.
A minute into ‘added time’ Kotwica crossed from the right to the far post where Griffin headed it out to Knight in the left corner but seeing his path blocked the wide midfielder turned back towards the front corner edge of the visitors penalty area and crossed towards the penalty spot with his right foot but once again the Leamington defence cleared the ball - but with some difficulty.
The pressure had been mounting and finally Cirencester scored the goal they had been searching for following a quickly taken throw-in on the left flank as Bennett fed Liddiard who released Knight in the left corner, down to the by-line, his cross to the penalty spot was partially blocked but it fell to ALEX DINSMORE, to the left of the spot and without hesitation the youngster fired a right footed shot inside the right post for his first goal for Cirencester. 1-2.
Encouraged the home continued to press for the final few minutes but were unable to break down the Leamington rear-guard.
Final Score: 1 - 2
Cirencester produced a committed performance but the Leamington defence was too experienced and well organised for them to cause any real problems although they did create some good openings especially in the second half.
The home defence did well against a mobile visiting attack to hold Leamington to a one goal lead at the interval but a goal of quality gave the visitors the cushion they required to get the three points they need in their quest for a ‘play-off’ place.
Attendance: 318
Referee: Mark Russell
CIRENCESTER TOWN:
1. Josh Langley
2. Anthony Brown
3. Aidan Bennett
4. Mark Pritchett
5. Matt Liddiard (C)
6. Shayne Anson
7. Adam Connolly
8. James Mortimer-Jones
9. Charlie Griffin
10. Ross Langworthy
11. Ollie Knight
12. Zack Kotwica (Ross Langworthy-25mins)
14. Alex Dinsmore (Adam Connolly-73mins) 90+3
15. Matt Bower (Shayne Anson-82mins)
16. Ben Prictor
17. Sam Farr
LEAMINGTON:
1. Tony Breeden (C)
2. Richard Taundry
3. Connor Gudger
4. Joe Halsall
5. Jamie Tank
6. Jamie Hood
7. Lee Moore
8. Jack Edwards 10
9. Courtney Baker-Richardson 73
10. Daniel Dubidat
11. Sam Austin
12. Ben George (Connor Gudger-65mins)
14. Ben Mackey
15. James Mace (Daniel Dudidat-90mins)
16. Rob Ogleby
17. Rob Elvins (Lee Moore-73mins)